Vanity case



27,1938. J. YOUN-GHUSBAND 2,141,328

VANITY CASE Filed Feb. 21,' 193.

Fig.4.

Fig. 5.

INVENTOR James .L. your ayhuaband BY 4 A ORNEY.

' rated cleansing pads.

- ameter.

Patented Dec. 27, 1938 lTED STATES PAT oFFicE 4 Claims.

My invention relates to a substantially flat, thin vanity case having a plastic body portion and a metal cap.

This vanity case is particularly used to hold cleansing pads which are saturated with liquid. When the vanity case leaves the factory it of course contains a plurality of the liquid satu- Theliquid in the cleansing pads causes the plastic body portion to expand. This expansion continues for approxi mately two weeks when it becomes dormant and produces a body portion having an increased di- The cap being of metal is not affected by the liquid and does not expand, so that the diameter of the body portion does not remain in its original relation and proportion to the diameter of the cap. Often caps which have easily fitted the body members when the vanity case left the factory are so tightly held to the. body members after the said expanding that the caps cannot be removed except by extreme force and by instruments. In general, the expansion of the plastic body member makes removal'of the cap so difiicult as to discourage use of the vanity case. This problem is serious because the userwhen she buys the vanity case finds the cap at first easily removable, then increasingly difficult until often it is impossible of practical operation.- The result is to lose good will and future sales.

As an attempted solution of this problem I have conducted experiments in attempting to expand the plastic body members of the vanity cases at the factory before distribution to the purchasing public. The vanity cases were filled with the liquid saturated cleansingpads and the expansion of each vanity case was carefully checked. Other vanity cases were treated with liquid and the expansion periodically noted. The results of these experiments disclosed a complete lack of uniformity in the expansion of the plastic member of one vanity case as compared to another, even though the same treatment under identical conditions had been accorded to all of them. The extent of the expansion was unpredictable. Because of the nature of molding it is true that there is some variance in the size of the plastic body members even before expansion, but not sufficient variance to cause trouble in fitting them with caps. My experiments showed that one plastic member might vary in expansion as much as livethousandths of an inch from another plastic member identically treated. Because of this unpredictability of the extent of expansion and the lack of uniformity in'the plastic bottoms no solution to the problem could be found in pre-expending the plastic members in the factory before putting them on the market.

Among the objects of the present invention is to solve the problem of the expanding plastic bottoms so that in spite of and during their expansion 5 they may still be used and properly fitted with the same cap, and such other objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and which are inherently possessed by my invention.

While I have disclosed herein a preferred embodiment of my invention, yet I wish it understood that the same is merely illustrative and is susceptible of modification and change without departing from thespirit of my invention.

Referring to the drawing Fig. 1 is a-plan view of my vanity case; Fig. 2 is a side view before expansion of the plastic bottom and Fig. 3 is a similar view after expansion; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of my plastic base and Fig. 5 a similar view with the innerwalls of the same straight. In all views the incline of the walls I4 is exaggerated for visible purposes.

Referring to the embodiment selected to illustrate my invention'my vanity case I0 is preferably fiat and thin to be carried in the users purse and comprises a plastic body member or bottom portion II and a metal cap I2. My plastic member I I may be made of Bakelite or any other suitable plastic material adapted for molding, and comprises preferably a flat bottom or base I3, and an upwardly extending portion I4 forming the walls thereof. Heretofore said walls I4 have been vertical straight walls but I construct my walls I4 so that while they also extend upwardly from the base I3 they also extend slightly inwardly so that the diameter or measurement across my walls I4 at the base is greaterthan the diameter or measurement across my walls I4 at their top. As an illustrative embodiment I prefer to have my walls I4 one-third of an inch in height from base to top, with the diameter at the top fifty-thousandths of an inch smaller than the diameter at the bottom. Of course these measurements may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The metal cap I2 has a fiat top I5, side walls I6 and an integral retaining ring II. The side walls I6 may have an outwardly flared portion on the inside of which is positioned a gasket I8 of 0 rubber or the like. The gasket I8 is positioned against displacement by the ring I? on one side and the ridges I9 on the other side. While this form of cap is shown as illustrative yet my cap may have either straight vertical side walls or 5 herently adapted to expand upon exposure to l outwardly and downwardly extending side walls, and'the gasket l8 may be of any desired size, occupy part or all of the inside portions of said side walls and be positioned against displacement therefrom by any desired means.

In the use of my vanity case the cap [2 may be fitted on plastic bottom H at the time the vanity case leaves the factory, and be easily removable therefrom. Because the contents of the vanity case are liquid saturated cleansing pads which will lose their moisture if exposed to the air, it is necessary that the cap form ,a seal with the bottom. The cap is therefore also fitted to form a seal as well as to be easily removable. As the plastic bottom expands the user can still use the same cap because as the cap is replaced from time to time during expansion the cap may form a perfect seal on the bottom Without extending so far down on the same. My upwardly and inwardly extending walls M form a series of difierent diameters to accommodatethe diameter of the cap. Since my walls are inclined in accordance with a general range of expansion there is always a proper diameter to receive the cap'and hold the same thereon in perfect seal and with easy removal. Those unpredictable plastic bottoms that expand but slightly still receive the caps at about the diameter they sealed them upon leaving the factory. Those other unpredictable plastic bottoms that expand more will still receive and seal a cap at a higher diameter on itswalls. Plastic bottoms can always be used in spite of expansion to fit the same cap.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. A flat, thin, light vanity case for holding a plurality of liquid saturated cleansing pads comprising a plastic body member, and a metal cap adapted to fit said body member and form a seal thereon at the time of the original fitting to protect the pads from exposure to the air and evaporation of the liquid therein, said plastic body member inherently adapted to expand from contact with the liquid in said cleaning pads while said metal cap is not influenced by said pads and does not expand, said plastic body member having a base and walls extending upwardly and slightly inwardly from said base to have smaller measurements across the top of said walls than at their base, so that as said body member expands said cap may still fit said body member at higher points on said walls to still form a seal.

2. A vanity case comprising a plastic body member, and a metal cap fitted to form a seal with said body member, said body member inmoisture, said body member having a base and walls extending upwardly and inwardly from said base so that the measurements across said walls at the base of said walls are greater than the measurements across said walls at the top, said cap forming a sealwith said body member adjacent the base prior to expansion and at higher points on said walls during and after expansion.

3. A vanity case for holding liquid saturated cleansing pads comprising a plastic body member, having a base and walls extending upwardly and inwardly from said base so that the diameter of said walls at the base is greater than their diameter at the top, a metal cap having a top and side walls, a gasket positioned on the inside of said walls, said gasket-adapted upon contacting the side walls of said body member to form an air-tight seal to protect the pads from exposure to the air and evaporation, said cap constructed so that the gasket will when originally used form the seal on the side walls of the body member adjacent the base, said plastic body member inherently adapted to expand upon contact with the liquid of said cleansing pads so that the diameter increases throughout the side walls of the body member and permits the gasket to form the seal on the side walls at a point higher up thereon. 1 i

4. A fiat, thin, light vanity case for holding a plurality of liquid saturated cleansing pads comprising a light plastic body member having a flat base and walls extending upwardly and inwardly from said base so that the diameter of said walls is greatest at the base and is gradually and increasingly less up to and including the top thereof, a metal cap having a flat top and side walls, a gasket positioned on the inner portions of said side walls, said cap constructed so that it fits over thewalls of the body member and when originally positioned thereon the gasket has such l a diameter as to enable it to contact the walls of the body member adjacent the base to form an air tight seal to protect the pads 'from exposure to air and evaporation, said plastic body inherently adapted to expand upon contact with the liquid of said cleansing pads so that the diameters of the walls of the body member are increased,

said gasket being constant in diameter then forming a seal on the side walls of said body member at any point higher thereon that approximates the previous diameter of the walls of the body member adjacent the base prior to expansion of the body member. 

